Swoon
by Love Tifa
Summary: It starts with a conversation and ends with a kiss. Chaos ensues from there. Will Hinata ever be able to fix the mess she's made? — ஐ — \ sasuhina /
1. the accidental kiss

**Swoon**  
><em>» (o1: the accidental kiss)<em>

**_"_**Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan, watch!"

Hinata indeed watched, bleached opalescent orbs gleaming with uncertainty as the blond-haired boy she so adored flipped in the air, twisting his tanned body into graceful contours. Then he was plummeting into the water, his entire body swallowed into azure oblivion. Hinata's heart skipped beats as she raised one hand up delicately to shield her gaze. The ocean was an unpredictable, wild thing after all — what if the current proved to be too much for him? What if he drowned? Out there even he was comparable to a rag doll, vulnerable and at the complete mercy to the elements. Hinata could already see his fragile body being churned this way, thrashed that way, before disappearing within the frigid depths of stirring blue forever. These horrible thoughts and more twirled through her already bewildered mind, and Hinata readily parted her rosy lips to bid him back to the shore.

"He doesn't need saving. Calm down, Hyuuga," commanded an aloof voice, its gruff baritone startling the bejeezus out of the poor girl. It wasn't as if she forgot that the Uchiha prodigy was there. The dark-haired boy was hard to miss; currently he was lying down beside to her, eyes closed and hands behind his head on the white sand.

The fact that he actually had spoken to her was what was truly shocking. While every other teenager had wasted no time shedding their clothes and running into the frothy, aqua waves, yelling and laughing and generally having a good time, it was Sasuke and Hinata who remained behind on the glittering grains of sand. Other than the bikini-clad girl tanning here or there, they were left completely secluded on the shoreline. Yet, the entire time they had been at the beach, Sasuke had not once directly addressed her.

That is, until now.

Shifting slightly, Hinata tried and failed to gain the courage to meet his eyes. She ended up merely casting her gaze downwards, nipping her bottom lip nervously. Cheeks of porcelain hue bloomed a light pink. "B-but Naruto-kun . . ."

"Is not going to drown," Sasuke stated carelessly in response. "Look for yourself."

Sure enough, Sasuke Uchiha was right. Only seconds later his best friend resurfaced, gasping for air and guffawing with adrenaline between breaths. He waved cheerfully at Hinata then, before diving right back into the freezing waters, seemingly heedless of the icy temperatures. That was definitely comforting for Hinata, who even managed a small, genuine smile of relief. What wasn't comforting was the way that those frosty coal-colored eyes were now peering at her, examining her every movement pointedly. The murky, inklike depths swirled with unnamed emotions.

Insecurity wormed its way into her delicate features. She couldn't help but fidget uneasily underneath Sasuke's powered stare, feeling especially self-conscience in her current state. A sunhat sat atop her head, strands of dark indigo tresses tumbling past her exposed milky-white shoulders. The simplistic sundress she donned felt like it clung too closely to her skin, accentuating every curve of her body. Even her dainty toes felt vulnerable in the elegant sandals she had on. Her arms protectively folded across her chest as she once again lowered her head, letting a curtain of satiny hair fall into her face. She felt _naked_.

"S-sorry, U-Uchiha-san," she stuttered apologetically. She didn't know what else to say, and she was at a loss for what to do. Confrontation had never been her strong point.

"Quit apologizing." The spiky-haired boy next to her sat up fluidly in one, graceful motion. The agile silver-slicked movement stunned her. It was unnerving considering the fact she was not used to being the center of anyone's attention. Now here she was, like a fawn caught in beaming headlights. "It's stupid considering you didn't do anything wrong."

Blood rushed to Hinata's face and she blushed so hard she no doubt resembled a cherry-red tomato. She began to say, "I'm s-sor — " before abruptly stopping, and meekly glancing at Sasuke. She shrunk back a little in the face of his irritation. It was wiser to leave her apologetic sentence incomplete.

Instead, she contented herself to sit and and focus her attention on the shore. The waves churned, pulling back and rolling forward, curdling tiny seashells and foaming up like light whipped cream. Pouring beams of glittering shine fell through dissipating fleecy, white clouds, bathing the world in the colors of honey, peach, and tangerine. Iridescence basked the beach, casting long shadows against the sand dunes. The occasional languid, sea-salt breeze greeted her a fine evening. She could even make out Naruto floating on the surface of the ocean in the distance. The image was a tranquil one that set her heart at ease. Then it was ruined by a cackling Kiba, who had stealthily swam up and dunked the unsuspecting blond underwater. She actually almost rose to her feet to call out, but held herself back at the feeling of probing eyes digging into the side of her skull; really, she was aware of her surroundings, or namely Sasuke's every move, the entire time.

"I don't understand," Sasuke agitatedly stated after a while.

She blinked. She hadn't expected him to say that. While she had been afraid of what he was thinking, positive he found her presence to be irksome, Hinata did not dream he would say _that_ of all things. "U-m." Fiddling with her fingers uncomfortably, she hesitantly questioned, "What do you m-mean?"

He snorted derisively under his breath. "Why you like the dobe. And don't deny it, because it's painfully obvious," Sasuke said, narrowing his eyes at her, daring her to challenge his words.

Hinata reddened. Something in her chest tightened. A bloodcurdling wave suffused through the rest of her lithe frame in response. No one had ever so bluntly pointed out knowing this fact about her before. It flustered her. Even the tips of her ears were glowing a vivid shade of red. "I-I don't . . ."

"You're a terrible liar." Sasuke stared at Hinata point blank. A disapproving frown etched itself across his features. "I'm not stupid," he told her.

It took her a few seconds to respond. When she finally realized the full implication of her own words, she sheepishly exclaimed, "Of course not, U-Uchiha-san!" The indigo-haired girl quickly tucked a wayward strand of hair behind the shell of her creamy ear. "I-I didn't . . . mean to i-imply that . . ." Her gentle voice trailed off. The flustered girl swallowed nervously and sheered her vision away, shoulders falling like overripe roses. She knew Sasuke was far from unintelligent. It was no secret the he was a genius with a calculating mind.

"It makes _no_ sense."

Shaking her head, she wringed her hands as she stared down at her lap silently. Just as always, she was hiding. It had become her default defense mechanism. In this moment, she was hiding from the truth, but now there was nowhere to run. Not with those intensely dark ebony irises decorated with crimson flecks fixated on her, challenging her to speak up for the first time. The question was merely if she would rise to meet it — or not.

"You two are complete opposites."

"I-I know . . . " she struggled with her words, but trailed off there, discomfited. She wanted to summon the words to express herself, but she just couldn't. They were akin to grains of sand slipping through her fingers.

Sasuke raised a neat raven eyebrow in disbelief, and she took in a shaky breath. Hinata hadn't ever thought she would be having this conversation, especially with the dark-haired and equally dark-eyed boy sitting beside her, and much less on a beach during the sunset. It could be considered almost . . . _romantic_ to any unknowing bystander. The thought alone made her heartbeat race. She drew her legs up against her chest self-conscientiously, immediately hiding her hot pink pace against the tops of her knees. Finally, she peered through her midnight-blue bangs. Her crystalline gaze once again settled on the object of her affections.

Hinata knew she had always simply been gazing at the contrastingly bright-haired and bright-eyed boy from afar, bathed in the sunny aura, admiring his courage and ambition. Yet, in all that time of liking him she had never found the strength to vocalize her thoughts or feelings. For Naruto, she had never found her voice.

"Well? Why do you like him so much?" Sasuke demanded gruffly, the barest hint of impatience lining his tone. It was his insistence and refusal to let her off easy that gave her the push she needed.

More astonishingly, it was thanks to Sasuke that she found her voice.

Breathing in deeply so as to calm her wildly drumming heart, Hinata parted her petal-pink lips at last, knowing full well that she had his full attention on her. Willing herself to continue, she began to say, mild voice sounding soft and fragile, "N-Naruto-kun. Is . . . " Swallowing, she sat up slightly, color sweeping over the entirety of her face. "Someone I've always a-admired for his strength." She admitted in a humble way, "I'd like to be that strong, s-someday."

"Hn," he grunted. That was the only lackluster response she received.

Hinata chanced a shy upward glance after the silence that followed. The warm, citrus-tainted air whirled around her, playing with her flowing amethyst locks. Sasuke's face was averted from her, his solemn gaze staring off into the distance. The sun was dipping below the horizon, leaking the last remnants of its pink and orange light. Glittering rays of twilight revealed that his eyebrows were furrowed. The normally stoic countenance Hinata was so accustomed to seeing was then replaced by something less hard. Gone was the stormy look in his opaque orbs, the trademark scowl on his pale visage. Instead, there was what appeared to be the subtle upward curving of lips into an almost elusive smile. His heavy gaze flickered to Hinata for a brief second; a faint radiance shone in the cornea of his pitch-black eyes. "You underestimate yourself, Hyuuga," Sasuke told her, his voice going uncharacteristically soft and low.

Her eyes widened imperceptibly, glimmering with surprise. If Hinata had been blushing before, she was positively bright scarlet now. Her pulse accelerated even further. He couldn't have just complimented her. "Eh?" she replied breathily, unsure she had heard him correctly.

"You really do." An actual, genuine chuckle escaped Sasuke. It was a surprisingly pleasant sound, despite knowing the fact that it was released at her expense. Hinata blinked uneasily, milky cheeks flushed. She felt a tiny shiver chase up her spine as he continued to stare at her unflinchingly; his unmoving stare was bewildering.

"Oi, Sasu-_keeeee_! Hina-t_aaaaa_!"

Suddenly jolted out of her thoughts, Hinata's head snapped up, her heart going wild and about to burst in her chest.

"N-Naruto-kun!"

It all happened too fast after that.

She immediately tensed up, appearing to be a merely carved statuette of her former self. A wave of horror and embarrassment washed over the Hyuuga heiress, resulting in a ghostly white complexion. _I don't want him to see! _she thought, rather frantically. Before anything else registered in the wild chambers of her spinning mind, Hinata hastily scrambled away from the boy she had been sitting so unknowingly close to in physical proximity before. In her desperation to put distance between herself and the Uchiha, she then proceeded to jump to her feet. Of course, all of her efforts proved to be in vain. When attempting to stumble clumsily away, she ended up instead letting out a shrill squeak of surprise, and tumbling downwards.

"U-Uchiha-s-san," she stuttered out in utter shock of her predicament.

She felt feverish, as if she were about to swoon. Hinata's blush intensified tenfold; ivory orbs flashed wide open upon realization that she had fallen _right_ into Sasuke's waiting lap. Sasuke looked to be faintly blushing as well, caught off guard by the embarrassing turn of events. His eyes had widened considerably, and he was simply staring down at her. If it had been at all possible to shield her face from his view she would have; but that simply wasn't an option, what with said face only mere inches from his lightly muscled chest. She breathed in and out rapidly, unable to comprehend how this had exactly happened.

Hinata's oncoming lightheadedness distinctly showed through her brightly colored cheeks and increasingly erratic breathing. She was trembling violently now, and her vision was blurring in and out of focus. Trying not to think, trying not to apologize, trying to ignore the delirious beating of her own heart, Hinata lifted her hands from his body and placed them on either side of the Uchiha to regain what was left of her precious balance. She sought to untangle her limbs from his as soon as possible, and preserve any shred of dignity she had left. Then, she mused, if she was lucky the earth would swallow her whole.

Thankfully, Sasuke's own shock seemed to have finally subsided. At the exact same time Sasuke suddenly and quickly sat up again, Hinata accidentally slipped. The event that occurred next seemed to unfold in horrifying slow motion — they met somewhere in the middle, lips on lips, and hands reflexively rising to catch their fall.

Everything seemed to suddenly spin around her after that. Hinata's eyelids fluttered from the dizziness — dizziness from the immense embarrassment, dizziness from the rapidly ensuing chaos around them, and finally, dizziness from Sasuke's mouth firmly pressing against hers.

A pair of swirling, gleaming obsidians was the last thing Hinata saw before she fell into the ebony-black of unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>► Okay, so this is first and foremost dedicated to the amazing <em>Rainy Lady<em>. She's the reason this story came into being after all, so you can all thank her. ;] Second, I'm having a serious dilemma. I'm actually thinking of continuing this, and even making it into a multi-chaptered story. I don't want to say I will definitely though! The very idea both excites me and makes my stomach do cartwheels. I have no experience with writing other than the odd one-shot. So, I'm going to leave the decision up to you as the readers . . . I trust your guys' opinions.

Edit: I appreciate everyone who has been so kind as to give me their feedback! Rest assured, Chapter 2 is on its way. It's going to be a retelling of Chapter 1, but from Sasuke's POV. Then the story will continue after that from Chapter 3 onward.^^; I'll try not to disappoint~!

**E›** tifa .


	2. the green eyed monster

**Swoon**  
><em>» (o2: the green eyed monster)<em>

His repeated attempts to explain his need for privacy to his overly devoted teammates ever since returning after a three-year long absence ultimately landed him nowhere. No matter how much he tried to get it through their thick skulls that he wasn't going to run away again, his truthful words continued to fall on deaf ears. Eventually, he stopped wasting his time and energy all together, and acquiesced with the idea that he would be under the heavy scrutiny of their watchful eyes for a while. Given everything he had put Naruto and Sakura through, he supposed it was the least and best thing he could do. He knew this all-consuming fear of losing him would one day cease to permeate the rose quartz chambers of his teammates' hearts. Until then he would just have to deal with his every movement being shadowed. This did not bother him as much. Not as much as . . .

Sasuke frowned. His brows knitted. Smoldering eyes of charcoal remained concealed behind closed lids; he continued to lay on his back in the sand, arms folded behind his head. He certainly didn't have to look to see what_ she_ was doing. It was the opposite of every other scantily clothed teenaged girl at the beach no doubt — certainly _not_ staring at him.

"Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan, watch!"

Sasuke tossed a glance at the girl sitting a ways beside him, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. He immediately regretted doing so.

A small, slender hand was raised to shield pearly orbs from pouring sunlight. Long hair spilled around pale shoulders in glossy azure streams, a too large sunhat sitting atop the strands. Sasuke couldn't help but notice how the modest sundress the teenaged girl wore emphasized slender features and soft curves. His eyes ran down her silhouette and back up to her face, which appeared noticeably troubled. Despite the tropical scenery and tranquil atmosphere, her expression was that of uncertainty — a worry line was present, steadily creasing its way between dark brows. The more he looked at her, the more it became evident that the milky-opal emotion spiraling from her eyes was meant for none other than a certain blond.

Of course it had to turn out this way.

Of all the rotten luck, he _had_ to garner interest in sweet, sweet Hyuuga Hinata, whose heart had been occupied since childhood. Of all the girls in the village to fall for, it _had_ to be the one who was already hopelessly in love with none other than the loud-mouthed and ramen noodle-slurping _dobe_.

His stare inadvertently settled on Hinata's rosy lips, which were quivering with trepidation. When he realized what he was doing, he quickly closed his eyes, trying not to make it known that he had been so openly staring. Fortunately, Hinata's attention was too captivated by Na-ru-tard acting like an idiot in the middle of the ocean to take notice.

Still, Sasuke felt his stomach churn.

"He doesn't need saving," he told her gruffly; she nearly jumped out of her bones at the mere sound of his voice, causing his skin to prickle with annoyance. She reacted as if he hadn't been sitting next to her on the shore the entire time. "Calm down, Hyuuga."

Hinata shifted herself uncomfortably, unable to meet his imploring gaze. Sasuke watched as she chewed her lip, fretting over the fact that she was the center of his attention. The apples of her vanilla-hued cheeks flushed. The sight was a familiar one for anyone who knew the painfully shy and soft-spoken Hyuuga. It had everything to do with insecurity, and nothing to do with romance. At least, at this very moment it did not, he thought bitterly.

Her voice was barely perceptible. "B-but Naruto-kun . . ."

"Is not going to drown." A note of exasperation crept into his voice as he peered out at the sea, measuring the swells. "Look for yourself."

Hinata followed Sasuke's line of sight — the ocean was blindingly bright, the color of water on a map. He was right, of course. Through the sparkles of wet light they both saw Naruto re-emerge from the blue depths, gasping for breath and laughing all at once. A grin curved his lips upwards, a stark contrast against his bronzed skin. Naruto waved at them, his lean physique bobbing up and down amidst the waves. Then it was back into the water he went; the white-capped waves filled and fell beneath and around him. Seeing the heiress smile sweetly, all because she was relieved to see that Naruto was safe, Sasuke felt an icy wave crash into his own chest. He narrowed his obsidian eyes at her. When she noticed his gaze, she fidgeted restlessly like a delicate butterfly whose resplendent wings were pinned down.

"S-sorry, Uchiha-san," she mumbled out in that meek voice of hers. To Sasuke, that was even more frustrating. Her penchant for apologizing profusely when it wasn't necessary aggravated him to no end. He was simply pointing out the facts. Why did she always feel the need say she was sorry?

"Quit apologizing," Sasuke said. The dark-haired teen sat up at last, not once looking away from her. Head bowed, indigo locks curtaining her face from view, he caught a glimpse of pearlescent orbs widening a little as they flashed upwards to glance at him. He could tell his words struck a nerve. "It's stupid considering you didn't do anything wrong."

Color ranging from a rosy pink to a flaming red overcame her normally pale complexion. Hinata's lips parted. She started to stutter, "I'm s-so — " before turning her head away, and failing to complete her sentence. Anxiously, she fiddled with her fingers, purposefully avoiding his lingering eyes. Silence fell between them, like the dwindling light of twilight peeking through the wisps of clouds above. Smears of magenta and ginger painted the horizon. Sasuke's coal vision trailed, down the sandy beach where the waves lapped against the shore, to the shallow, cyan depths Naruto floated on like a leaf. Without fail, it always traced back to him. A scowl crawled across Sasuke's features. Then, in its place a smirk formed; he watched with a dark sense of satisfaction as the Inuzuka boy dunked Naruto underwater. It served him right, letting his defenses down like that.

However, his lighthearted mood fled when he turned to examine Hinata's reaction. Truthfully, it shouldn't have come as a surprise, her glimmering irises fearfully concentrating on the dobe from afar. Still, it _nagged_ at him.

It was such a bizarre idea to Sasuke, that a timid and reserved girl like Hinata would harbor such strong affection towards a loud and obnoxious bastard like Naruto. It was a ridiculous concept when he reviewed it his head, especially since Naruto was wholly oblivious to her feelings as far as he knew, and would remain so until the day he died. Hinata on the other hand would never gather the courage to proactively pursue him, much less confess her feelings aloud. There was that popular saying that opposites attract . . . The mental image of Hinata and Naruto engaged in a sickeningly sweet and corny soap opera-esque relationship rose unbidden to the surface of his mind. It instantaneously stirred the most unpleasant sensation deep within Sasuke's gut. Try as he might, he couldn't shake it nor ignore it. It was unfathomable, even to someone like him with a genius IQ. It was driving him insane, to say the least.

"I don't understand," Sasuke told her crossly, when he couldn't take the solitude of his thoughts any longer.

Sasuke could see the expression on Hinata's face then, a cross between anxiety and genuine puzzlement. Her lashes fluttered as she slowly blinked at him. That, he thought wryly, was just plain _rich_. "U-um," she stammered. "What do you m-mean?"

He couldn't have contained his disdain if he tried. He would even argue the snort was warranted out of him. "Why you like the dobe. And don't deny it, because it's painfully obvious." He flicked his stormy orbs towards the heiress, who had been staring at him blankly, drawing her lower lip between her teeth.

Hinata turned her head a small fraction. Color flowered underneath her cheeks, her delicate features becoming its ever reddening crimson petals. "I-I don't . . ."

"You're a terrible liar." That was an understatement. In fact, it was the most ridiculous, shameful attempt at a lie he had ever heard. Her hushed words personally affronted Sasuke. He narrowed his piercing eyes at her. A frown enveloped his mouth as he recalled the countless moments he had personally caught Hinata blushing, awkwardly shuffling on her feet, and shooting furtive glances at the blond idiot. Just like that, she denied it. Frankly, you had to be blind, deaf, and dumb not to notice how in love she was with the bastard, Sasuke thought flatly; and if she believed that he would buy it for one second then she was mistaken. "I'm not stupid," he said blandly.

Time stretched on, for a few moments, but then understanding dawned at long last. She cried in a panicked sort of way, "Of course not, U-Uchiha-san!" Hinata's embarrassed countenance veered away, her sweet sounding voice fading. He noticed idly that a loose lock of her hair had fallen to brush against the side of her glowing face. The strong urge to suddenly reach out and push that wayward strand of midnight-blue behind her ear made his fingers twitch. He clenched them down by his sides, but the desire still persisted. He licked his lips at the same time she anxiously swallowed, and was almost relieved when she did it herself. Almost. "I-I didn't . . . mean to i-imply that . . ." She faltered.

Sasuke didn't relent. "It makes _no_ sense."

The petite girl seemed to shrink into herself, light eyes fixated downwards. The way her fingers laced and unlaced themselves together on top of her dress-skirt clad lap made him wonder what she was thinking. He knew she wasn't going to bother trying to lie to him again, but that didn't mollify Sasuke. He wanted an answer, and he was determined to get it.

"You two are complete opposites."

"I-I know . . . " Hinata trailed off and hesitated, appearing as though she didn't know what to say, but desperately wanted to.

Sasuke watched with a single, raised brow. She seemed to be submerged in her own thoughts. Hinata ended up swinging her long legs up to her chest, and pressing her face against her knees. The usual dusky shade of rose danced around on her facial features. It made him frown. She really needed to speak up already. Whether or not she was ready for it, he was going to give her the push she unquestionably required.

"Well?" Sasuke interjected, a cutting tone in his voice. "Why do you like him so much?"

The heiress didn't answer immediately. She continued to keep her gaze from Sasuke. When she did respond, it was subdued, quiet. "N-Naruto-kun. Is . . ." When Hinata's sentence wavered once more, Sasuke marginally craned his neck forward, wordlessly urging her to continue. She shifted her body a bit, noticeably sitting up straighter. "Someone I've always a-admired for his strength." She paused, catching her breath, finding her words. Determination entered her honeyed voice, startling him. "I'd like to be that strong, s-someday."

The Uchiha had the decency to be appalled for a moment before composing himself enough to mumble a dim, "Hn."

Hiding his own face this time, which felt oddly warmer than usual, Sasuke took the opportunity to watch the sun set — a radiant blaze of gold on the horizon. A descending tangerine sun served as an ambient backdrop for the two. The breeze picked up, and Sasuke thought the salt air tasted strangely sweet. Then, he sensed Hinata peer his way anxiously, more than likely worried about his reaction to her confession. The irony of the situation got the better of him. The small crease that appeared in his face at the realization was almost minuscule. He quirked his head at her ever so slightly, and he smiled, barely.

Naruto and Hinata _were_ opposites; to bother comparing herself to the blond was utterly pointless, and only set herself up for failure. Still, she didn't even _see_ her own potential. Hinata was comparable to the small bud in a garden that flowered late, bloomed. When she did finally flourish, she would put all of the other blossoms, no matter how colorful or loud, to shame. "You underestimate yourself, Hyuuga," Sasuke found himself assuring her in a tone that was a cross between amusement and endearment.

Despite the newly arrived gloom, with his superior vision at his disposal, he could see _everything_.

Hinata looked clearly taken aback. Her eyes seemed to grow rounder. Her rosy cheeks became even rosier. "Eh?" she murmured tentatively.

"You really do." Sasuke let out a very short, amused laugh. Pitch-black eyes bored against Hinata's gemmed, preciously polished white orbs. He noticed for the very first time that they were not a solid white. There were tints of light purple and lavender that blended in to her iris. He was rewarded with a rising blush, which was a striking contrast against the violet locks that tumbled down to frame the heiress' porcelain face. Hinata really was unique, he thought, as he continued to hold her gaze with his.

Sasuke rather liked her this way, with her attention undividedly focused on him. Hinata wasn't sneaking glances at Naruto out of the corner of her eye, or endlessly daydreaming about his stupid, dopey face; she was fidgeting, flushing a bright shade of cherry, and inhaling hitched breaths nervously because of _him._ She was looking up at him with her pale gaze shaded with lilac. He wondered what would happen if he were to move closer, or even —

"Oi, Sasu-_keeeee_! Hina-t_aaaaa_!"

And just like that, the tard ruined everything.

"N-Naruto-kun!"

The dark-haired girl tensed up, paled visibly, and then jumped away from Sasuke like a terrified bunny rabbit. That made his heart lurch for some reason; quicker than his mind could comprehend though, Hinata's attempt to put distance between them proved to be a complete and utter failure. With an audible squeak of surprise, she tripped, fell down, and then there she was — right on top of his lap, her horror-struck face a scant few inches from his bare torso. A touch of burgundy spilled across Sasuke's pallid complexion against his will, and he merely stared at her dazedly. His mouth felt as dry as cotton. In the background, he was vaguely aware of a significantly loud splash amidst crashing, white-capped waves.

"U-Uchiha-san," the heiress whispered, her voice so faint and soft it was barely audible in the near, dimly lit darkness.

Hinata appeared as though air wouldn't pass through her lungs ever again. Her lean frame quivered. Her facade was overcome by a fierce ruddy tint of red. She actually looked ill, the way she was sucking in big gulps of air, which he could feel tingle against the surface of his skin with each exhalation.

Surprise evaporated at this point, Sasuke watched bemusedly as Hinata strained to right herself up, his eyes training absently on lily-white hands that unsteadily braced themselves against his chest. All the Uchiha could think was that it wouldn't take much effort on his part to close the gap between them. His gaze slowly shifted towards a feminine, soft mouth slightly tinged pink. It wouldn't be difficult at all, he surmised.

When Hinata fell, predictably, again, he moved in a single, subtle movement upwards to press his lips full against hers. It was firmer then he intended, more messy then he wanted. Still, it was far from unpleasant. When he drew away from the stunned girl, he smirked cockily, knowing full well it had been her first kiss.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise when Hinata fainted.

Sasuke promptly felt a familiar heat radiating from several pairs of gazes. The sensation was a familiar one, one in fact he had been forced to grow used to over the years. Yet, somehow Sasuke knew that each and every one did _not_ in fact belong exclusively to his legion of adoring fangirls. As if on cue, shouts of disbelief and malice arose to taint the bittersweet ocean air. They all were annoying in their own way, and Sasuke easily tuned them out, in favor of gazing down blankly at the currently passed out Hinata splayed across his lap. Like a rag doll, her body had flopped disgracefully on top of his. Her sunhat graced by an elegant ribbon had toppled off of her head into the sand. Her hair fanned around her head prettily.

All hell was breaking loose, but all Sasuke could sarcastingly think was, _Oh great. The first time I kiss a girl, and she passes out._

* * *

><p>► This chapter is dedicated to my friend <em>WhiteFlowerHinata<em>. I hope you liked it girl! I tried to make it as cute and comedic as possible for ya. (: Gosh, I can't believe it took me so long to update . . . I'm really sorry everyone! Essentially, I debated for some time with myself whether to simply continue on with the story or write up this chapter. In the end, I decided to make Chapter 2 a retelling of Chapter 1, but from Sasuke's POV. I'm not gonna lie, my favorite kind of Sasuke to write is a possessive and super jealous one, haha. I just can't help myself! xD Oh, and just so that it is completely clear, this is an AU fanfiction set after Sasuke has returned to Konoha. Total crack though, so beware!

Stay tuned; Hinata runs into Sasuke again, literally, but this encounter goes quite differently than their last one. It's already complete, so it'll be up soon! Thanks again for all of your reviews, favorites, and alerts. You guys are amazing.^^;

**E›** tifa .


	3. the blame game

**Swoon**  
><em>» (o3: the blame game)<em>

The sky overhead was painted an ultramarine blue, filled with delicate, white clouds, and below, amongst the darker contrast of the trees, there was the sound of chatter and shuffling of feet, as many passerby crowded the streets of Konoha. Amidst the sea of pedestrians were a young girl and her teammates walking, on their way to eat lunch after having vigorously trained earlier that morning. A warm breeze toyed with billowing hair comparable to black satin ribbons, shafts of light bringing out the deep azure hues present there. Round pearly orbs possessed a faraway look inside of them; despite her unique ability to see into far distances, Hyuuga Hinata was so distracted by her jumbled thoughts that she didn't see the introverted dark-haired boy until it was too late.

"O-oh!" she gasped in surprise. She tried to steady herself before she could tumble backwards, but failed miserably. A wave of mixed with shame and horror flooded her features as she landed on the street, white orbs misting slightly with pain. A tingling pink-tinted heat rose to her cheeks as she realized just who it was she had bumped into. Hinata willed herself to become transparent, but remained as visible as ever.

For this boy, you see, was no simple ordinary boy. Besides possessing the Uchiha's infamous bloodline trait the Sharingan eye, he was also the last surviving member of his clan, former avenger, and traitor of Konoha. All tousled black spikes, smooth pale skin, and unfathomable eyes as deep as the still ocean, Uchiha Sasuke was someone that made every other girl in the village want to shamelessly throw themselves at him. He also happened to be the one who had been plaguing her mind all week, though not for the same reasons as say a flirty Yamanaka Ino or boisterous Haruno Sakura. Far from it, actually.

Hinata had been wondering how she could possibly apologize to Sasuke after not only accidentally _kissing_ him, but also fainting — right on top of him.

Now it appeared she had yet _another_ reason to apologize.

"U-Uchiha-san," she stuttered weakly in greeting. She was painfully aware of their every move being scrutinized. Sensing movement, the heiress realized with a start that both of her teammates had moved closer to protectively flank either side of her.

Kiba looked absolutely livid, his teeth gnashing together angrily; his almond eyes flashed like two constellations about to implode and force out its blinding lights upon the planet. Meanwhile, his powder-white dog, Akamaru, growled down by his side, fur visibly fluffing up more than usual. In contrast, Shino appeared completely at ease, though no doubt assessing the situation. The fact that his fathomless stare was hidden behind a trademark pair of opaque sunglasses somehow made Hinata feel even _more_ anxious . . . if that was possible. Meanwhile, a crowd of gossiping patrons lingered nearby.

"_Che_." Sasuke didn't even look at her, instead opting to slide his hands into the recesses of his pockets. Eyes akin to dark charcoal stars peered off into the distance, as if preferring to look at anything but her. That probably was the case since she had been doing nothing but causing him trouble as of late. The thought brought an unexpected twinge of pain to her chest. She parted her rosebud lips so as to speak once more, but her brown-haired teammate cut her off.

"That's all you have to say?" Kiba snapped, narrowing his coppery brown eyes in utter conniption. "You should apologize to Hinata, right now!" Akamaru barked loudly in agreement.

"Are you all right?" Shino suddenly asked her in that monotonous voice of his, though it was laced with genuine concern for her well-being. Hinata's reflection bounced back into her creamy pale irises as she turned to look up at him. Visibly reddening, she nodded.

"Hai," was Hinata's shaky reply.

The dejected girl accepted his outreached hand with gratitude. Their fingers intertwined, and Shino pulled her easily to her feet as if she weighed nothing more than a slight flower. She bit her lower lip, glancing up at Sasuke through the curtain of her silken hair. He looked clearly agitated by the whole situation, and she couldn't blame him. He had a right to be angry with her.

There was a beat in which a flicker of some undisclosed emotion dashed across Sasuke's face, but then he recovered in a flash and irately retorted, "In case you didn't notice, _she_ was the one who bumped into _me_." The icy quality of his voice made the heiress outright shiver; it caught her off guard when he shifted his gaze from a visibly fuming Kiba to settle on her within mere seconds. His inky glare intensified then, electric sparks almost seeming to shoot from him. "With your abilities, you should have sensed my approach miles away." He paused, scrutinizing her, before adding, "Are you really that much of a klutz?"

"After that stunt you pulled off at the beach, you think you have the right to talk to her like that?" Kiba exclaimed. He growled, the sound reverberating from deep within the cavity of his chest. Akamaru followed suit, taking a noticeable step forward.

Hinata winced. Despite her attempt at explaining that everything that had happened at the beach was_ her_ fault, her teammates were somehow convinced it was Sasuke to blame. Even the mild-tempered Shino thought Hinata would be safer away from him. It was all a mess; still, she was determined to fix it.

"I-I was distracted," she managed to stutter quietly, hesitating as she reddened a little. She felt as though her heart were a little hummingbird, rapidly flapping its wings against her chest. Her face became a fierce shade of fuchsia underneath the intensity of his stare. Even if she hadn't thought of him in a romantic light, the idea of Sasuke realizing that he had been the one to preoccupy her thoughts as of late made Hinata feel faint. She bowed her head, not only to show that she was truly apologetic, but so as to break the unwavering connection between obsidian and amethyst. "I-I'm sorr —"

He sneered. "As if I need _your_ apology. You're clearly nothing but a weak and clumsy girl."

Within the crevice of her chest, Hinata's heart dropped. His words pierced her like frosty icicles, sharp and ruthless. Her rosy cheeks drained of color.

He had called her clumsy. He had called her weak. She knew it was true, but hearing those biting words come from him hurt more than she could describe. Yet, the only reason he had been on her mind at all had been because of what transpired at the beach. The mayhap that started this whole mess. The accidental kiss. So why did Sasuke's words hurt so much? Was it because coming from him with his typically stoic mannerisms and shadowed eyes, it was especially harsh? Or was it because . . .

_"You underestimate yourself, Hyuuga."_

Sasuke pushed past Hinata roughly, brusquely, only to vanish into the crowd of pedestrians as quickly as he had come. He didn't so much as spare a backwards glance. She was left standing there tongue-tied, flustered, and absolutely unsure of how to rectify the situation.

"That's it!" Kiba proclaimed with a feral snarl. "Let's go, Akamaru — "

"K-Kiba-kun — " Her voice was shaking. "Please, d-don't."

"Hinata," her teammate began, unable to keep his frustration from seeping out into his voice. Kiba's stormy gaze bore right into glistening opals, which only made it all the more difficult for him to sustain his aggression. When she delivered him a particularly pleading, desperate look, he hesitated on the spot. "He _deserves_ to get what's coming to him."

Like a bad habit, she started to twiddle her fingers. In her usual gentle tone, she whispered, "I just . . . I don't want any more f-fighting."

His lips pressed into a thin, taut line. Tension clearly radiated from the teenaged boy's frame as he strained every muscle in his body to keep from pursuing the Uchiha. Eventually, his expression softened. He reluctantly motioned for the large dog flanking his side to stand down. "Fine. Let's just go get some lunch now. I'm starving!" Kiba added, as if attempting to ease her insecurity with his last comment. A fanged grin curved his mouth as he looked at her.

Hinata managed to smile weakly back. "O-okay."

Both she and Kiba started walking.

Meanwhile, a knowing glint shone in deep chestnut eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. Shino stared after Hinata silently, before catching up with his teammates.

…

…

"What _was_ that back there?" The blond stared inquisitively at one of his longtime best friends. The question wasn't a surprising one, but it still annoyed Sasuke to no end, who rolled his eyes skyward in response.

"What was what, dobe?"

"You know what!" Naruto challenged, his voice introducing an irate tone. He frowned. "Why were you being so rude to Hinata-chan?"

Sasuke was obviously perturbed and disturbed that this conversation was even happening in the first place; he had received enough lecturing within the past week to save him a lifetime. While it was far from unpredictable considering Naruto had become his self-appointed baby sitter, it still didn't make his words any less grating. He swiftly cast his obsidian eyes upwards to glare coldly up at spirited royal blue hues and burnished gold. Then, he glanced away. "Why is it I am the villain in this situation?"

"You're kidding, right?" Naruto laughed, for the first time since their encounter. "Look at you!"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

A goofy grin had been plastered onto his whiskered face, until Sasuke's sharply worded question came up. His expression quickly mellowed down, though a small smile remained on his pale lips. Naruto took a moment before answering, putting his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm just saying, you and Hinata-chan are polar opposites. She's like a mouse. And you . . . well, you're not."

_That is such bull, _he thought irritably, as he angrily kicked at a stone on the ground. The irony of Naruto's words wasn't missed by Sasuke either. He closed his eyes, starting to feel a headache coming on. All he had wanted to do was train; that's why he'd come here, out in the middle of the woods. Amidst the knobby trees and filigree of sunlight streaming down through the foliage up above, he had sought a momentary reprieve. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like peace and quiet would be forthcoming anytime soon. "Hn. You think so too, Sakura?"

The rose-haired girl blinked, as if surprised to be addressed directly by the brooding Uchiha. That or she was startled, before too deeply engaged in thought. Either way, she managed to recover quickly. "Naruto's right," Sakura said. "You're only making things harder for yourself."

"So what am I supposed to do?" he spat out sarcastically. "Go make nice?"

Naruto was about to say yeah, because Hinata-chan deserved an apology, even if she was a weirdo — weirdos had feelings too! But he was abruptly cut off.

"No," Sakura replied firmly. She shook her head, sending her cherry-petal pink locks dancing over her collarbone. A fierce gleam entered her emerald eyes. "You should just stay away from her. Eventually this whole thing will blow over. Everyone will forget about — about the 'incident' — and life will return to normal."

_Normal, right,_ he thought bitterly. As if that was possible . . . Sasuke could still recall the angry glares from Neji, Kiba, and Shino; the melodramatic squealing that pierced his eardrums from all of his dismayed fangirls. He could take the whispering, the gossiping, the judgmental stares behind his back. That wasn't even the worst of it. The worst thing of all was Hinata's reaction.

Since what had happened at the beach, Hinata had purposefully gone out of her way to avoid him. When they did finally run into each other, it was because she was too busy daydreaming about the blond idiot to watch where she was walking. Her face turned beet red upon realization she had collided with him. She couldn't even look Sasuke in the eyes. Was experiencing physical contact with a boy really that horrible, he wondered. Or was it actually Sasuke himself who frightened her? Then there was the pity party on his behalf. The one, single moment their gazes did lock, her ivory orbs shone with guilt.

But maybe she really _was_ sorry. Maybe she blamed herself for this whole mess. Maybe . . .

Sasuke swiftly pulled back the reins on his mutinous thought process. He certainly didn't want to go down that road. It was easier to simply stay angry at the socially inept heiress. It made his already complicated life a lot less complicated.

"Sasuke-kun, what do you think?"

Disappointment filled Sakura's mint-green orbs as Sasuke carelessly shrugged his shoulders. She stared wistfully at her longtime love interest, admiring his prince-like features: tousled, dark hair, deep charcoal eyes, an angled face. The only detail ruining the look of royalty was the downward curving of his mouth into a scowl, and the storm that refused to dissipate from his cornea. Sakura only wished she could help him find more happiness. "Whatever," came his harsh reply.

Naruto tugged a hand through the mop of his hair, perfectly oblivious to the tension arisen between his two teammates. "Can we get some food now?"

"By food, do you mean ramen?" Sasuke asked dryly.

"That's what I said!" the blond retorted, cheeky grin lighting up his boyishly handsome features once more.

* * *

><p>► I kind of want to give Sasuke a big hug right now, even though it's my fault that he's going through all of this in the first place. Poor, poor Sasuke! So jealous, so lovelorn. And poor, poor Hinata. So naïve, so clueless. Ha, who am I kidding? I'm enjoying this way too much. xD The next chapter is going to be even more fun, just you wait and see. In the meantime, pretty please send some of your love my way! I'd love to know what you all think. :)<p>

**E›** tifa .


	4. the belated apology

**Swoon**_  
>» (o4: the belated apology)<em>

"You're leaving on a mission?" Sasuke asked, shocked at the thought of actually being left alone. Privacy had become a foreign concept ever since his recent return to the village.

Naruto merely nodded in affirmative as he used wooden chopsticks to bring clamped noodles to his lips before chewing enthusiastically. His sky blue eyes practically rolled back in his head. Sasuke didn't really understand how the blond could enjoy ramen that much, regardless if it was his favorite flavor or not, but that was Naruto for you. He watched with thinly veiled disgust as Naruto proceeded to wolf down the entire bowl, before smacking his lips loudly in satisfaction and slumping back in his chair. He waited for further light to be shed on the subject, raising an onyx eyebrow beseechingly, but didn't receive any. _Figures_, he thought morosely. Instead, the tard gestured at his own mostly untouched lunch, and questioned, "Are you going to eat that?"

Sasuke snorted with derision. Unsurprisingly, his desire to eat had all but evaporated. He had not been particularly starving before anyway. "I think I'll pass."

Seated at Naruto's right, Sakura frowned softly at him from across the table. "It's not good to skip meals, Sasuke-kun. You should try to eat it even if you're not hungry." She took a big bite from her own steaming bowl of noodles. An encouraging smile graced her lips. Her jade eyes were iridescent with cheer. She continued, "See? It's tasty!"

She had good intentions, but her attempts to mother him were more annoying than anything else. Sasuke eyed his own greasy portion of pork-flavored ramen noodles distastefully, before pushing the bowl towards Naruto. "Here," he muttered flatly, "You eat it."

The blond instantly perked up, reaching out to grab the offered dish up swiftly before Sakura could intervene. He promptly took in a long, appreciative whiff of the totally unappetizing aroma, to Sasuke's repulsion. A blinding smile spread across his whiskered features like the sun. He was so damn easy to please.

"Thanks!" Naruto bellowed gratefully, not wasting anytime and chowing down.

Despite the bright, pink-haired girl sitting next to him telling him to slow down and chew, the food's not going to run away for kami's sake, Naruto kept consuming one chopstickful after another. Sasuke observed the way they sat so unknowingly close together, their bodies at ease with the near physical proximity. To the quiet and dark Uchiha, it was obvious there was something lingering in the air between them, like dimly crackling electricity, whether the two knew it or not. He smirked, knowing if he made such a comment Sakura would not like it one bit, though her face would more than likely betray her by turning a ruddy shade of red.

Sasuke wasn't blind to the fact that Sakura thought she still held romantic feelings for him. Sooner or later though, she would see what was right in front of her. Weirdly enough, he thought they actually went well together.

"Ow!" Naruto cried childishly, breaking Sasuke out of his line of thoughts. "I rit my trongue! I rit my trongue!" He cursed and clutched at his mouth, big baby blue hues watering over with tears of pain.

"That's what happens when you're gobbling down your ramen like that!" Sakura shrieked, grabbing what was left of the noodles and holding it out of the blond's reach. "No more for you! You don't need to eat it anyway!"

Naruto stuck out his tongue, Sakura gave him a mouthful of her clenched fist, and Sasuke rolled his eyes. _Another day as the third wheel_. His remnants of annoyance swiftly scattered to the wind like cherry blossoms at the realization that soon he would be able to do as he pleased, and move about the village without a constant escort breathing down his neck. That was one thing to look forward to, at least. In fact, it was the first good thing Sasuke could honestly look forward to in a long time.

…

…

It got boring fairly quickly, and a little lonely, if Sasuke was honest with himself.

At first, he had been relieved. It had been refreshing, being able to go about as he desired without his persistent babysitters tailing him everywhere he went. Eventually the novelty wore off and in its place boredom settled in, as well as annoyance. All of the paranoid staring from villagers who didn't trust him to the longing glances from hormonal teenage girls who viewed the Uchiha as "the forbidden bishie" finally took its toll on Sasuke. With his reed-woven basket slung over his right arm and his usual stoic disposition, he quickly purchased all of his freshly ripened tomatoes and left the store promptly, regarding anyone who dared to look his way with a threatening glare.

He ended up striding to the area where he liked to be the most — at the training grounds he regularly frequented. The triangular shapes of lights and shadows that were all cast from the knobby trees that stretched up above to kiss the sky were a welcome view. Sasuke immediately felt his muscles relax as the negative energy drained from his core. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, listening to the bubbling water of a nearby meandering stream and chirping of birds from above.

Even with no one to spar with, he could at least enjoy the zen of the outdoors. Moments of unmatched tranquility like this were few and far between.

All of a sudden, a light and feathery tone voice punctuated the silence. "Uchiha-san?" He peered in the direction the voice had sounded from and through the blinding sunlight he saw a familiar, lavender-clad female form.

As luck would have it, it was the same girl he had been advised to avoid since the "incident" that had taken place at the beach three weeks ago. Truth be told, he had tried to push it out of his mind, along with the last unnecessary confrontation in the village with her teammates, but with no such luck. Whenever it did pop up in his thoughts, something foreign would scrape against the wall of Sasuke's chest, making him heat up whenever he recalled the brash way he acted towards Hinata. Eventually he acknowledged that those feelings were that of guilt and piping hot shame.

Laying in his bed one night, staring up at the ceiling alone within the darkness of his bedroom, Sasuke realized that he wasn't any better than a bully. Naruto may have been dense and oblivious to Hinata's feelings, but at least he acted decently towards her. He even rose to her defense, though his comment about her being comparable to a mouse had been laughable.

Sasuke on the other hand had been nothing but cruel.

Hinata was fidgeting on the log she was currently sitting on as she religiously avoided his gaze, dark lashes lowered. He noticed she looked even more nervous than usual, but also had an air of quiet determination around her as he approached at a slow, yet deliberate pace. Sasuke raised an eyebrow when he saw that she was gripping something so tightly with her hands that the knuckles were turning marble-white; it was a rectangular pouch, tied with a silky ribbon ornamented with a violet-colored floral design.

_So she brought him lunch_, he thought bitterly. Sasuke wasn't naïve, nor was he considered a prodigal genius for nothing, not that you needed to be one to grasp understanding of such a tradition. Sasuke recognized what it meant when a girl went out of her way to bring a homemade boxed lunch to a boy. He had received enough of them in his short lifetime — along with disgustingly sugary sweet chocolates and numerous love notes — to know the romantic intent behind such an action. But then he remembered he had done nothing deserving of such affection on her part, and those bitter feelings sparking to life in his chest were extinguished then and there.

"Naruto isn't here," he told her, trying to contain his aggravation. The thought of Hinata spending time to slave over a homemade bento and then give it to Naruto made him feel queasy.

When she did not say anything, Sasuke remarked, "He's on some secret mission with Sakura. _I_ don't even know when they will be back."

He listened as Hinata swallowed and replied softly, "I know." She then lifted her head at last to look up directly at him, her long, thick hair framing her face. Her large, snow-colored eyes glimmered as they met his ink-black ones. "I . . . I was waiting here f-for you."

Sasuke's thoughts run a mile per minute as Hinata visibly hesitated, cheeks reddening, before straightening her posture deliberately. He stared right at her as she shakily reached down to untie the pouch resting on top of her lap. Sasuke's mouth went dry. His heart thudded against his ribcage, so loud he was convinced even the indigo-haired girl could hear it. It felt like he was being teased and tormented at the same time, as he observed her long, slender fingers fumble to loosen the ribbon. A haze of disbelief fogged his brain even while his hooded eyes darkened with anticipation. It couldn't be. Could it?

Before Sasuke knew it, Hinata had taken out the bento box, only to thrust it forward. Her cheeks flushed harder as she avoided his keen gaze. Despite himself, he felt his own normally pale face warming up slightly. He hadn't expected this turn of events at all.

"Please accept it!" she stuttered loudly, her entire body shaking. She bowed her head again, deep, indigo-stained hair tumbling down, lock by lock, to obscure her face from his view. "Please Uchiha-san. I-I know it isn't enough to make up for all the trouble I've caused you b-but . . ."

The former avenger was instantly jolted into reality as he gleaned the true meaning of her actions. It felt like an actual physical blow had been dealt, causing the wind in his lungs to be knocked forcefully out of him. And he remembered — Hinata liked Naruto, had for a long time now, and that wasn't likely changing anytime soon.

Perhaps, it was time he accepted it, and stopped taking out his jealousy on one of the few tolerable girls in the village.

"Do your teammates know you're here?" Sasuke finally asked, miraculously managing to gather his wits.

Hinata's head shot up with an audible snap. "N-no!" she choked out, her cheeks glowing. "I knew I couldn't or . . . I wanted to be able to come by myself."

" . . . Good." And a few maddening heartbeats later, Sasuke accepted the rectangular-shaped bento. He sat down beside her and she let out a startled squeak, but he ignored it. He took the cover off to take inventory of the contents inside, noting its homemade style.

There were shrimp rolls, and the sweet rice with tiny bits of fish and vegetables was shaped into neat squares. Nothing he saw was in the shape of a heart. Everything was precisely in place, carefully sculpted with great care, and not in any overtly way feminine. This offering was Hinata's attempt at a peace offering; there was no clandestine love amongst the array of reds, greens, and browns of morsels of fish and vegetables, nor behind the fluffy-white rice balls. It didn't look too bad actually, but Sasuke knew that looks could be deceiving.

He reached his hand out automatically. Hinata wasted no time in apologizing breathlessly before handing him a pair of wooden chopsticks. He took a bite out a rice ball, and admittedly was surprised at just how _good_ it tasted.

"You made this?" he asked her, amazement evident in his tone, and she nodded. "You're a good cook," he added without missing a beat, and the corner of his lips quirked up at the way that his compliment made her blush even more.

Hinata really was adorable, he thought. After finishing chewing and swallowing a rice ball, Sasuke noted the fact that Hinata had not brought anything with her to eat for herself. Maybe she had eaten already before coming here? Somehow, he doubted it. His suspicions were confirmed when he bluntly queried her about it.

"I'm not going to just let you sit there and stare at everything while I eat," Sasuke said, and handed her back the pair of chopsticks. Hinata looked like she wanted to protest, but instead she slowly lowered them into the bento to pick up a rice ball, and Sasuke reached down to pick up a shrimp roll.

Together, they ate in silence, enjoying the tuneful song of birds in the trees, the calming rush of the wind against their skin. It was a calming experience, sharing a meal with the Hyuuga heiress. They passed the chopsticks back and forth; Sasuke had to forcefully contain his amusement at the way she almost jumped out of her skin when their fingers accidentally brushed against one another's. The only thing that held it back from being perfect was the acrid taste of guilt that curdled in his throat.

"Hyuuga," he addressed her, and she turned towards him. A light pink dusted the apples of his cheeks against his will. He murmured, "You're not weak."

Red-cheeked, she looked confused for a second, then realization lit her eyes, and she smiled bashfully. He breathed in, slow, the air a sweet relief, the guilt ebbing into a fading wave, until it was just an aching memory. Hinata was watching him, those white eyes sparkling, and the Uchiha knew then and there she really was far stronger than she gave herself credit for.

"Thank you, but I'm not as strong as I'd like to be," she chimed with her airy voice, which made Sasuke gaze at her strangely. There was a certain lightness in her tone of words that made her unique amongst all other girls, but the iron determination present underneath it gave him pause; that and the fact she had managed to get out an entire sentence without stumbling over herself, or stammering even once. There was a minute of silence, and Sasuke could tell Hinata was trying to muster up the courage to say something momentous to him.

Hinata's next words barely reached him. "That's why I wanted to ask if we could train . . . together."

* * *

><p>► I'm sorry for keeping everyone waiting so long! I was not exactly sure how to go about writing this particular encounter. I wanted to sort of resolve things between Sasuke and Hinata, at least somewhat. I can't see him apologizing straight up, to be honest, hence his attempt to say sorry without saying sorry. xD Also, the ending probably sucks because it was rushed, and I didn't have the chapter beta'd. Still, I hope it wasn't too awful. Feel free to be honest and let me know what you thought of the whole shebang!<p>

**Edit:** Grape Vegetable, I wish you'd sign in, or I had a way to contact you. =[ I'd love to talk to you more; I appreciate the fact you are also being honest with what you like and don't like about my fic. But regardless, I am thankful for your comments! Also to anyone else who doesn't sign in — you all are awesome in my book.

**E›** tifa .


End file.
